Fantasy football Week 15 rapid recap: The unstoppable Jonathan Taylor
Despite the fact that Jonathan Taylor’s performance took place on Saturday night, it was so epic that it still deserves a mention. This was his third game with at least 170 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown this season. The rest of the NFL has combined for only two such games (Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook).
NFL Next Gen Stats indicates that Taylor reached a maximum speed of 22 mph on his game-winning 67-yard TD run against the New England Patriots, the fastest speed by any ball carrier this season. It looks as if Taylor (averaging 22.0 touches, 132.4 total yards, 24.0 fantasy points) is going to be a league-winner this season.
He can — and should — provide fantasy managers with a similar performance when he plays the Cardinals and Raiders in upcoming matchups.
All stats are courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information, except where noted.
Here’s a quick look at some of the other standout stats from Sunday’s action:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WRs Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (knee) might both miss multiple weeks. Neither receiver played in the second half against the New Orleans Saints, which allowed Tyler Johnson to play on 70 snaps, run 50 routes, and be targeted seven times. He and Breshad Perriman (who was out due to COVID-19 protocol) could help fill the void in Week 16 on the road against the Panthers. Remember, Antonio Brown is also slated to return from his suspension.
Following Leonard Fournette‘s hamstring injury in the second half, Ronald Jones II took over as the Buccaneers’ lead back. Fournette was also recovering from an ankle injury and could now be out for a number of weeks. Jones might handle Fournette’s workload in Week 16 against the Panthers. During Weeks 10-14, Fournette averaged 20.4 touches, 104.2 total yards and 24.0 fantasy points.
Mark Ingram II‘s return to the Saints backfield had serious repercussions for Alvin Kamara‘s fantasy managers. Ingram played on 30 snaps, ran 15 routes and totaled nine rushing attempts. Those numbers were eerily similar to Kamara’s 37 snaps, 17 routes run, and 11 rushing attempts. Ingram will be a flex option against the Dolphins in Week 16.
As opposing defenses take away TE Kyle Pitts, WR Russell Gage continues to be the Atlanta Falcons’ top receiving option. He has averaged 9.6 targets, 95.0 receiving yards, and 18.5 fantasy points over the last three games. Against the Lions in Week 16, you can trust him to be an upside flex option.
Against the Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon injured his left ankle. In the Bengals’ last five games, he has averaged 23 touches. Should Mixon miss Cincinnati’s Week 16 meeting with the Ravens, Samaje Perine would assume this workload.
Tyler Boyd has averaged 5.6 targets, 78.6 receiving yards, and 15.0 fantasy points over the last three games. Against the Ravens (Week 16) and Chiefs (Week 17), he should be heavily involved offensively for the Bengals. For fantasy managers, Boyd is a solid flex option.
After suffering a concussion in the second half, Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater had to be carted from the field. After stepping in, Drew Lock threw for 88 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts. If Lock starts in Week 16, he should be considered as a QB2 against a Raiders defense that allows 18.0 QB points per game, ninth-most in the NFL.
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New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard tore his Achilles against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season. With QB Mike Glennon at the helm, the Giants offense is incredibly difficult to trust. Shepard’s departure, however, allows WR Collin Johnson to fill the void.
On the Dallas end of things, CeeDee Lamb has accumulated 32 targets over the last three games, averaging 67.0 receiving yards. However, he’s amassed 27 targets from the slot with an average depth of target of only 7.63 yards. This limits Lamb’s upside.
Over the Detroit Lions’ last three games, Amon-Ra St. Brown has caught 26 of 35 targets for 249 receiving yards and two touchdowns. With his 57 receptions this season, he sets a Lions’ rookie record. It is likely that St. Brown will continue to see steady targets with TE T.J. Hockenson out for the season after undergoing thumb surgery. In Week 16, St. Brown should be regarded as a WR2 against a Falcons defense that allows the fourth-most WR points per game.
As a result of DeAndre Hopkins‘ injury, Zach Ertz has emerged as a key component of the Arizona Cardinals passing game. On offense, he played on 89% of Arizona’s snaps, ran the second-most routes (47) and had the second-most targets (12). Ertz will be on the TE1 radar in Week 16 when he takes on the Colts defense, which allows the second-most TE points per game.
Devin Singletary has averaged 14.4 touches, 67.0 total yards, and 10.2 fantasy points over the last four weeks while Matt Breida has taken a back seat in the Buffalo Bills backfield. Singletary could be viewed as an RB2 against the Patriots in Week 16 if Zack Moss is once again a healthy scratch. Running backs have scored 23.3 fantasy points per game against the Patriots, the 14th-most in the NFL.
Duke Johnson‘s 127 yards and two touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins against the New York Jets is another example of how running backs have a fantasy bonanza against this defense. Following his activation from the COVID-19 list, Myles Gaskin was active, but not at 100%. Salvon Ahmed also returned from the COVID-19 list, but had no touches. Malcolm Brown will probably return from IR after practicing last week, and Phillip Lindsay will likely return from the COVID-19 list prior to Week 16’s kickoff. Against a stout Saints run defense, the Dolphins backfield is suddenly way too crowded and difficult to trust.
Jamison Crowder played on 89% of the snaps for the Jets against the Dolphins and also ran 33 routes. Despite catching only 8 of 14 targets for 59 yards in two games without Corey Davis and Elijah Moore, Crowder is still on the radar in deeper formats for Week 16 against a Jaguars defense that allows 37.0 WR fantasy points per game.